The figures and statues of the Buddha that can seen in Hindu temples or bought from specialist shops, are stylisations of Shakyamuni Siddhartha Gautama the Buddha. He was born in the ancient province of Nepal around 400BC, and was the son of King Suddhadana and Queen Maya Devi. According to legend, the Queen had a special dream the night that the future Buddha was conceived. She saw a white elephant with six white tusks enter her right hand side and ten months later the young Buddha was born.

When Siddhartha reached the age fo 27, he renounced his kingdom and inheritance, and became a beggar or medicant. He sought and attained enlightenment in six years under a pipala tree and became a Buddha, in Bodhgaya. After enlightenment, he is believed to have said: “Through many births I have passed; the builder of the house of pain is gone and I am free from any more births”.

Throughout his life, the Buddha Shakyamuni preached 'dharma', and Indian spiritual and religiious expression meaning a person's righteous duty or virtuous path. In a Hindu's life, a dhama is affected by how old that person is, their class, occupation and sex.

Buddha statues & ornaments are found in a wide variety of poses, the most common of all the type is the sitting Buddha statue in a lotus position. The posture shows an advanced inner and outer balance and tranquillity. Buddha statues showing meditation, have the posture of the hand or mudra - fingers of the right hand resting on the left as they sat in the lap of the enlightened Buddha's lap whist he sat in a lotus position. Many Buddha statues sit on a pedestal in a lotus blossom, which has come to represent the ‘Enlightened Being’ or ‘Emptiness’.

Buddha statues make wonderful unusual gifts for anyone. If you wish to see our range along with other products such as recycled glassware, visit our website at paprikashop.co.uk.

 

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